Pipe tong



Dec. 10, 1940. D. COLE 2,224,142

PIPE TONG Filed Nov. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Dec. 10, 1940.

D. COLE PIPE TONG File d Nov. 50, 19:57 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DELH T COLE ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 10, 1940 2,224,142

UNITED STATES PAENT OFFICE PIPE TONG Delbert Cole, Hollydale, Calif.

Application November 30, 1937, Serial No. 177,266

4 Claims. 01. til-99) This invention relates to pipe tongs for the Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the handling of pipe of all sizes. One application device shown in Fig. 1; of the invention relates particularly to rotary Figure 3 is a plan view looking down on the tongs for the handling of drill pipe, casing pipe, tong in the position shown in Figure 5. a and the like in well drilling rigs. Figure 4 is a side View looking into the device 5 The rotary and casing tongs now available are from the left in the position shown in Figure 5. adapted to handle pipe having a diameter vary- Figure 5 is a sectional View of the device taken ing little, if any, over one inch in diameter, and I along the line 55 of Figure 4. know of no other rotary or casing tong which is In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, I have chosen a adapted to handle drill or casing pipe varying rotary tong 9 of the type which is used to handle 10 two inches or more in diameter. It is therefore drill pipe, casing pipe, and the like in well drillan object of my invention to provide a rotary or ing rigs as illustrative of one form of my incasing tong which is capable of handling different vention. sizes of pipe varying several inches in diameter. The rotary tong 9 consists of a body member Another object of my invention is to provide it one end of which is in the form of a handle 15 a tong which is quick acting, positive in opera- II, and the other end of which is in the form of tion, and capable of readily gripping pipe of varia cam l2, which is provided with gripping surface ous sizes at three equi-distant circumferential i3, and a jaw M which is pivotally mounted on points. This uniform gripping allowsthe torque the bodymember.

- to be distributed equally throughout the pipe, and The end of the handle I I may be provided with 20 thereby prevents any deformation of the pipe. an opening I5 so that the tong can be operated Another object of my invention is to provide by the conventional cat-line (not shown) in the a tong which is automatically adjusted to operusual manner. A pin it is secured in the body ative position when the pipe is inserted in the member Ill near the cam l2 and the jaw I4 is tong. pivotally mounted on said pin. The jaw is pro- 25 A further object of my invention is to provide vided with gripping surfaces [1 and I8 respeca latch for securely maintaining the tong in closed tively, which are at an angle of sixty degrees with position and which also supports the jaw from respect to each other. deflection. The curvature of the gripping surface [3, is de- Another object of my invention is to provide termined by the location of the pin it, and is 30 a tong with a supporting arm by means of which such that the point of contact of said surface with the tong may be conveniently lifted. The supa pipe inserted in the tong lies in a line which is porting arm may be mounted on a journal surface perpendicular to the line which bisects the angle of the tong by means of a bearing which allows formed by the gripping surfaces l1 and Hi. This the tong to be rotated to, or latched in, any de is true regardless of the size of the pipe which is 35 sired position. inserted in the tong. The pipe in the tong will be Another object of my invention is to provide a gripped at three equi-distant circumferentially tong which is of simple and durable construcspaced points, and therefore cannot be deformed tion. since the torque is equally distributed throughout 0 My invention has many other objects, adthe pipe. vantages, and features, some of which, with the Also mounted on the pin I6 is a spring 20, one

foregoing, will be set forth at length in the folend of which is fastened to the tong as indicated lowing description where I shall outline one form by the numeral 21 in Figure 5. The other end of the invention, which I have selected for il- 22 of the spring is secured to the jaw i l. The 5 lustration in the drawings accompanying and spring 20 is adapted to urge the jaw l4 into forming a part of the present specification. In closed position when the jaw is released. the said drawings, I have shown one form of my The tong 9 may also be provided with a latch invention, but it is to be understood that I do not member 25 which may also be pivotally mounted limit myself to such form, since the invention, as on the pin it. The latch member 25 may consist expressed in the claims, may be embodied in a of a pair of bifurcated arms 26, the end portions 50 large number of forms. of which are connected together as shown at 21. Referring to the drawings: The end of the jaw I4 is provided with a shoulder Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a com- 23 and a recess 29. The latching surface 21 of plete assembly of a preferred form of the tong the latch member 25 is adapted to extend over of my invention. the end of the jaw l4 and engage the shoulder 55 28. A spring 30 is mounted in the latching surface 21 and is adapted to engage the recess 28 in the end of jaw M to hold the tong in closed position.

The tong 9 may also be provided with a supporting arm 3! for convenience in handling the tong; The body member I0 may be provided with a journal surface 32 on which the supporting arm 3| may be mounted by means of a bearing surface. The other end of the supporting arm 3| is provided with an opening 33 so that the tong may be supported by the usual cat-line.

The supporting arm is preferably journaled on the body member l0 as near to the head of the tong as the jaw l4 when opened will permit and is preferably so curved that the opening 33 is directly in line with the center of gravity of the complete tool. By mounting the supporting arm- 3I around the journal surface 32 the tong can be rotated to any desired position.

To position the tong around any size of pipe which the tong is adapted to handle, the jaw I4 is pushed back and placed around the pipe 35 and upon release of the jaw M, the spring 20 urges the jaw into operative position, and the pipe is automatically gripped at three equi-distant circumferentially spaced points. The latch member 25 is then raised until its latching surface 2"! engages the shoulder 28 of the jaw Hi and spring 30 drops into the recess 29, thereby holding the tong in closed position.

To open the tong the latch member 25 is pulled until the latching surface 21 no longer engages any part of the jaw M, at which time the jaw I4 is also pulled back disengaging the pipe.

One rotary tong designed in accordance with the above disclosure, is capable of handling all sizes of pipe between two and eight inches in outside diameter, and in each instance the pipe, is gripped in the tong at three equi-distant circumferentially spaced points.

Although the best results can only be obtained by having the gripping surfaces l1 and I8 at an angle of sixty degrees to each other, satisfactory results can be obtained if the angle between said gripping surfaces does not vary more than a few degrees. This is particularly true in the smaller sizes of tongs, for example, the sizes which are adapted to handle only pipe of three inches in diameter or less. i

Similarly, the best results can only be obtained by having the gripping surface l3 of the cam l2 of such curvaturethat every point of contact of said surface with .a pipe inserted in the tong lies in a line which is perpendicular to the line which bisects the angle formed by the gripping surfaces of the jaws of the tong. However, satisfactory results can be obtained if the curvature of said surfaces is substantially as outlined above. This again, is particularly true in the smaller sizes of tongs.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the form which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the article shown is merely illustrative and that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed therein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pipe tong adapted to grip any size of pipe inserted therein at three substantially equi-distant circumferentialy spaced points comprising a body member having a handle at one end and a gripping surface at the other end, a pin secured in said body member near said gripping surface, a jaw pivotably mounted on said pin, gripping surfaces in said jaw at an angle of approximately sixty degrees with respect to each other, the curvature of said first mentioned gripping surface being such that every point of contact with said surface of a pipe in said tong lies in a line which is perpendicular to the line which bisects the angle formed by said gripping surfaces in said jaw, spring means for urging said jaw into closed position, and a latch member mounted on said pin for engaging the free end of said jaw for closing the jaw and holding the free end of the jaw against deflection.

2. A pipe tong adapted to grip any size of pipe inserted therein, comprising a body member having a handle at one end and a curved gripping surface at the other end portion, a pin secured in said body member near said gripping surface, a jaw pivotally mounted on said pin, gripping surfaces on said jaw at an angle with respect to each other and facing said curved gripping surface, and a latch member mounted on said pin for engaging the free end of said jaw to close the jaw and to hold the free end of the jaw against deflection.

3. A pipe tong adapted to handle several sizes of pipe comprising a handle having a curved gripping surface at the outer end thereof, a jaw, means for pivctally mounting the jaw on said handle near said gripping surface, gripping surfaces on said jaw at an angle of approximately 60 to each other, the curvature of said first mentioned gripping surface and the location of.

said gripping surfaces of said jaw being such that any pipe inserted in said tong will be held at three substantially equi-distant circumferentially spaced points, and a latch member moun ed on the pivot means for said jaw for engaging the free end of said jaw for closing the jaw and for holding the free end of the jaw against ideflection.

4. A pipe tong adapted to handle several sizes of pipe comprising a handle having a curved gripping surface at the outer end thereof, a pin secured in said handle near the gripping surface, a jaw pivotally mounted on said pin, gripping surfaces on said jaw .at an angle of approximately 60 to each other, the curvature of the first mentioned gripping surface and the location of said gripping surfaces on said jaw being such that the pipe inserted in said tong will be held at three substantially equi-distant circumferentially spaced points, and a latch member mounted on said pin for engaging the free end of said jaw for closing the jaw and for holding the free end of the jaw against deflection.

. DELBERT COLE. 

